Thompson named commission’s vice chair

District 1 County Commissioner Sid Thompson chokes back tears as she reflects on the death of A.G. Carter during Monday’s emergency commission meeting. Thompson was chosen to replace Carter as vice chair of the panel.
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Sid Thompson, District 1 rep on the Autauga County Commission, to fill vice-chair role

In 2008 Sid Thompson became the first woman ever elected to a seat on the Autauga County Commission. This week, she became the first woman to hold either of the commission’s two highest positions. Thompson, in her second term as District 1 representative, was the unanimous selection of her three male commission peers to fill the vice chair’s position vacated by last weekend’s death of A.G. Carter.

“For my part, I’m very comfortable with Mrs. Thompson,” said Commission Chairman Carl Johnson after District 2’s Kyle Glover nominated Thompson for the No. 2 post. District 4’s Marshall Reese seconded it, and Johnson joined them in their approval. “We’ve worked together for about six years now, and I feel she’s very comfortable in handling the job if something was to happen that I couldn’t be here, or whatever.”

The commission chairman’s “whatever” was aimed at Carter’s unexpected death, something that caught the county by surprise.

“One thing we need to continue in looking forward, is what’s going to happen in the event something does happen (to the chairman), that we have somebody we can depend on,” Johnson said as he stared into space. “I feel she’s very qualified and she’s shown a lot of interest in her position. I think it would be fitting to have her as vice chairman, if she’ll accept the position.”

Thompson, who was the Prattville City Council’s presiding officer from 1992-96, formally accepted the nomination, then choked back tears as she reflected on Carter’s role in her initial run for a commission seat.

“I loved A.G. Carter,” she said. “He’s the reason I’m on the commission. He was the one who called and suggested that I run. He learned that he could trust me, and we became friends. I’m going to do like he would, do the best for Autauga County.”

Reese said during Monday’s meeting he was confident Thompson could handle any extra duties if she is called upon to do so.

“Mrs. Thompson has a lot of experience working with the City Council on this type of thing,” he said. “I know Carl might be gone from time-to-time, and she lives here in town and it’s a quick trip to the courthouse or administration building for whatever needs to be done. I think she’ll do a great job at it.”

Thompson said after the meeting that she felt comfortable in assuming her new post and felt her selection as vice chair proved that she had been accepted by her male peers.

“I’m very humbled, very honored, to be taking a seat A.G. held,” she said. “I’m not worried about it, though, because I was City Council president for four years. There is a difference between county and city, but the basics are the same. I will do the best I possibly can for the people of the county and for the commission. I really appreciate them picking me; it shows that I’m just one of the guys.”